Laura-Marie Taylor

off our backs:the feminist newsjournal (Women and Fundamentalisms)

admin — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 13:09:00 +0000

off our backs has been published continuously since 1970. These people know what they’re doing. Their position as such a long-running magazine gives them authority. The journal provides irrefutable evidence that women are being brutally oppressed in the United States and around the world. The cover of volume xxxvi, number 3 asks, “Is there room in heaven for women?” and focuses on the damage being done by the religious right—all of the religious right, not just Christians—and how the religious right functions through misogyny. Article after article reinforces the same chilling theme: institutions meant for the spiritual betterment of all people are actually destroying lives.

The reading is heavy, engaging and disturbing. I found myself having to set the magazine aside from time to time to process the information. Many of the news items convey facts about which I had been entirely ignorant.

off our backs is printed on newsprint, and the ads are relegated to a section in the back, which means you only have to see them if you want to - a welcomed concession. It can be trusted as a comprehensive source for bringing you important feminist news and opinion. It’s appropriate and challenging reading for every feminist.

Written by: Laura-Marie Taylor, July 14th 2007

She's Not the Man I Married: My Life with a Transgender Husband

admin — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 13:46:00 +0000

By Helen Boyd

Seal Press

She’s Not the Man I Married is a smart, in-depth look at being a woman whose husband is transgendered. Boyd is candid and brave as she talks about the strain of loyalty and desire, the confusion, questions of sexuality and identity and, most of all, the emotional reality of being married to someone who needs to make the biggest change that a person can possibly make.

A sequel to the more detached in tone novel, My Husband Betty, Boyd wrote She’s Not the Man I Married specifically to talk more openly about her feelings. Boyd is articulate and has clearly thought about this topic a great deal, in addition to her research. Her writing is fluid and moving. It has its academic moments, but is always accessible. I can imagine other writers who deal with this subject turning it into something sensational and lurid, but Boyd never writes to the lowest common denominator.

She’s Not the Man I Married is a book about gender, but it’s also a memoir. Boyd succeeds in her project; the perspective is intimate, and the facts are interesting for those who can personally relate as transgendered people or those married to transgendered people, as well as outsiders. It’s special to get to peek into the private space of any marriage, particularly a marriage that faces such unique challenges. She’s Not the Man I Married sustains this glimpse for 300 pages, and it is a fascinating read.

Written by: Laura-Marie Taylor, July 8th 2007

Ms. Films DIY Guide to Film & Video, Third Edition

admin — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 19:04:00 +0000

Edited by Niku Arbabi

Parcell Press

This anthology of DIY film techniques and ideas is nothing short of inspiring. It takes what I had thought of as a corporate and very difficult to break into medium and brings it to the level where anyone can become a filmmaker. Comprehensive and fascinating, with a lot of spirit, Ms. Films DIY Guide to Film & Video looks and feels like a zine, but is bound durably as a book. Geared toward women and girls, as women and girls are under-represented as film-makers, this book serves a meaningful purpose. I had never felt the desire to make films, but Ms. Films DIY Guide to Film & Video gives me ideas and makes me want to implement them—furthermore, it suggests how to implement them. This is a feel-good book in a deep and lasting way.

The filmmakers whose writing is anthologized in here are diverse and have a lot of personality. The reader gets a sense of the different filmmakers as people, and feels supported by their words. Some specific techniques and ideas presented include a DIY drive-in movie theater, how to make your own puppets for stop-motion animation, discussion of good lengths for short films, where to start with fundraising and publicity, a guide to film festivals, tips for script writing and personal writing of a filmmaker’s experiences with a specific production.

Suggestions I have for the fourth edition include a bigger inside margin for easier reading as well as cleaner fonts—a few of the typewriter fonts aren’t easy on the eye. Otherwise, I would recommend this book to anyone. Long-time filmmakers will be reminded why they started making films and find some new ideas, while newcomers, like myself, will be introduced to an entire new world.

Written by: Laura-Marie Taylor, April 28th 2007

The Peace Tree

admin — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 12:24:00 +0000

Directed by Mitra Sen

Sandalwood Productions

The Peace Tree is a heartwarming, informative movie by producer and director Mitra Sen. There are funny, touching and beautiful moments throughout this compelling movie.

At school, all different religious holidays are discussed and celebrated. I learned about Eid, the Muslim celebration that marks the end of Ramadan. But what happens at home is another story. Old prejudices are difficult to transcend, and parents are reluctant to allow their children to participate in the traditions of other faiths. The persistence and sweetness of two Muslim sisters and their Christian best friend finally win over the cautious parents.

The end of the movie is happy, with the children being honored by the mayor of their town. Despite moments of conflict, nothing bad happens beyond the exchange of a few sharp words. The Peace Tree would be appropriate for the entire family and probably most appreciated by 6 – 10 year olds.

This movie has created a movement: the international celebration of Peace Tree Day. It serves as an introduction to Peace Tree Day and could be useful for any group just beginning to celebrate the holiday.

At times, the dialogue does not ring true, but this movie’s heart is always in the right place. With lively colors, gorgeous clothing, and joyful music, The Peace Tree has a great deal of charm and appeal. It can bring diversity and cultural information to your home during the holidays or any time and encourage respect and unity among all people.

Written by: Laura-Marie Taylor, April 24th 2007

Red Velvet Seat: Women’s Writing on the First Fifty Years of Cinema

admin — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 19:59:00 +0000

By Antonio Lant, Ingrid Periz

Verso

This hefty anthology is a valuable resource for anyone who is interested in film, history or women’s studies. Substantial at 872 pages, it covers the years 1895 to 1950. The relationship between women and film is complex and fascinating, which explains the length of Red Velvet Seat, and the relationship has gone mostly unexplored, which suggests the book’s importance. Scholars, in particular, will be excited to see so many insightful texts gathered into one volume. Appropriate for curious readers at home—also appropriate as a college textbook, Red Velvet Seat offers something for every taste.

In addition to the body of texts it provides, numerous illustrations are also presented. The illustrations depict movie-related art as well as photographs of the women discussed within the text. Insightful contextualizing introductions are provided for each of the sections. The text cover all aspects of women and film: women as viewers, women as film-makers, women as actors, women as critics, theory, the movie theater as a social scene. Reccurring themes include power and class. Many of the texts ponder film as an artform and speculate about its future. The scope is comprehensive to say the least.

The text includes essays, excerpts from diaries and journals, and excerpts from longer works. The selections are well-chosen and lucid. Many provide a rich sense of the time period during which they were written. Virginia Wolff, Emily Post, and Colette are among the important figures represented.

With a general index and an index of film titles, with biographies and notes, Red Velvet Seat is well put together and will be remarkably useful to film studies scholars as well as more casual film-loving readers.

Written by: Laura-Marie Taylor, February 22nd 2007